Unexpected Beginnings
by Jonnymon
Summary: When Tai wanders off at night searching for an escape from the wilderness, he encounters a friend. Being alone together may start to develop a more intimate friendship between the two. Lemon. Yaoi. Tai/Matt. If you don't like, don't read.
1. Finding Comfort in Darkness

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter One: Finding Comfort in Darkness

* * *

Desert turned to grassland. Grassland turned to marsh. Marsh turned to swamp. The Digi-Destined haven't said a word in hours. They all wanted to stop. But they had to keep moving. It was close to the breaking point.

"WAHHHH!" cried Mimi, the slowest of the bunch. Everyone turned to see what broke the silence. "My feet hurt and I wanna hotel and I wanna watch reality television and I want chocolate and I wanna comfy bed and I wanna laugh until I fall asleep with my best friends!"

Finally, the group collapsed in unison. Blank stares gleamed on all the faces of the kids and their digimon. Mimi said it, but it was looming in everyone's mind. They all wanted comfort right now. They sat there and the night drew darker. Their eyes becoming heavier. The trees overhead casting shadows that felt almost like blankets on them.

The night was cool and the air crisp. Crickets were chirping a soothing song. The digidestined were exhausted from a seemingly never-ending day, trying to find a reasonable place to rest. Half of them asleep on each other, the other half about to be.

* * *

Crickets were now complemented by light snores. Tai was left awake. He couldn't sleep. He was staring up at the night sky, frustrated. He was the leader. He had to guide the rest of them to a safe place. The brunette glanced over to the group, sound asleep.

_What harm could it do? _Thought Tai.

Slowly, and with fatigued legs trembling, Tai stood up. He scanned his surroundings. Many tall, shadowy things. Most likely trees.

Tai ventured forth, toward the unknown. Conquering his fear. Tai's shirt gave off a slight glow. He peered down. His crest was glowing firey red.

_The Crest of Courage. _

The Crest made an excellent source of light. Tai fed off the encouragement and went deeper into the trees, being careful not to make any noises to wake up the others. If any of them found out, they would bring him back to "protect" him.

_I don't need protecting. They are the ones I need to protect! I'm the leader!_

_CRAAACK!_

Tai froze in his footsteps. Something snapped nearby. And it certainly wasn't him. He wasn't alone.

The boy quickly put his crest away. This wasn't good. Agumon was back sleeping with the rest. He was alone. Scared. The Crest dimmed to darkness. Tai stood motionless. Sweat forming on his forehead and the palms of his hands.

_CRAAACK!_

This time Tai jumped. The snap sounded like it was right next to him. In panic, Tai twisted his head left and right, trying to make sense of his dark surroundings. Then, a glow of blue appeared very close. It was moving closer. Tai was ready to fight.

* * *

Only a few feet away now, the blue light revealed a blonde-haired boy, slightly taller than Tai.

Tai's face relaxed. He was relieved. "Damn it, Matt. What are you doing out here?"

Matt smirked. "What, you thought you could just go off exploring and have all the fun to yourself? Not while I'm around, kid."

"Hey, who are you calling a kid?" snapped Tai, giving a gentle punch to Matt's chest.

The blue-eyed teenager chuckled. "Why did you leave the others anyway?"

Tai recollected his calm. "I'm the leader, Matt. I have to make sure I know exactly where we're taking us in the morning. I need to make sure we're going in the right direction. That we're safe."

Matt stared at Tai. He looked at the bags under his eyes and worked his way down to the wobbly legs from hours of walking.

_He's a good guy. He has good intentions. But, man, Sora's right. He sure is stupid sometimes. Coming out here on his own. He could have gotten seriously hurt… or killed._

Matt sat down and relaxed his back against a nearby tree.

"Tai, come on; sit down," said Matt as he patted the ground near him.

Tai looked down at Matt, then looked back up. Refusing. He didn't want to give up. He had a mission. Matt just didn't get it.

Tai's legs were profusely shaking now. Matt gave the slightest kick, and Tai fell down, like his legs were made of stacked playing cards.

Tai looked at Matt bitterly, but he had no energy to actually say anything. The boys lay there in silence. Matt against the tree with his arms folded across his chest, and Tai in the same position that he fell in. It was comfortable right now.

* * *

The night was getting colder, and the chirping getting softer. Matt folded his arms closer and Tai curled up in a ball next to Matt. The body heat was sustaining them.

Matt was starting to fade away. Every few minutes he would come back to reality. But sleep was pulling at him persistently. His eyes closed one more time. Suddenly, the blonde felt a weight on his lap. He popped open his eyes. Tai was resting his head on his lap, drifting into unconsciousness. Matt was tempted to push the brunette off, but the warmth that Tai's head was providing was too comforting.

A few minutes into this, Matt's arms were becoming numb. Crossing them for so long was starting to bother his body. He tried putting them on the ground. It was too cold. He was losing his body heat. He tried folding his arms again, but his body did not allow it.

Exhausted, Matt dropped his hands slowly until they found a big poof of hair. It was soft. It was warm. Tai was asleep. So Matt left them there.

Tai's hair felt so soft. It reminded Matt of a cat he used to have as a child. Nice and fluffy. Warm.

Semi-delusional, Matt began stroking Tai's hair, imagining his cat.

"Good kitty," the blonde whispered.

His own voice snapped Matt back to reality, realizing what he was doing.

Matt's hands were controlling themselves though. They were now caressing Tai's hair. It felt good weaving his fingers through his friend's strands. _Very_ good, actually. Even unconscious Tai was encouraging him, moaning faintly with each stroke through his hair.

Tai's head started feeling particularly hot. Matt couldn't figure out why. Then he realized it wasn't Tai's head bringing the additional heat.

_Oh Shit_. Thought Matt. He felt something lengthening under Tai's head.

_Not a boner! Fuck! _

Matt's member grew to its full length. He tried breathing deeply and thinking of ugly girls from class. But to no avail.

The blonde's fully erect tool started twitching. It wanted to be let out. And it wasn't going to take no for an answer…

* * *

End of Chapter One

* * *

Leomon: Kitty fantasies? Don't tell me this is turning into a furry!

Ogremon: Oh c'mon, Leomon. You've never stroked a kitty thinking of actually stroking a human?

Leomon: *blinks* What?

Ogremon: I can't be the only one.

Leomon: *stares* I think you're the only one.


	2. A Simple Brush

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter Two: A Simple Brush

* * *

"TA-AIII! MA-AAT!" a familiar voice called out. Tai woke up instantly and jumped up on his feet, alert and ready to fight. Matt scrambled to fix his member under his shorts so it wasn't noticeable. From behind a distant tree appeared a faint yellow glow and a shorter blonde-haired boy, accompanied by Gabumon. Matt recognized the voice immediately. "TK, we're right over here!"

TK and Gabumon came sprinting towards the voice and finally reached the unofficial leaders of the group.

Tai lowered his fists. "Glad to see you two!"

A paternal tone entered Matt's voice. "What were you doing out in the woods by yourself, TK? You could have gotten killed. Did you want to die?"

"Aw Come on, Matt, " responded TK. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I can take care of myself".

"Besides, I was with him, Matt," chimed in Gabumon.

Matt grunted and averted his eyes. "Still."

Tai's legs felt more stable now. "Okay guys. Let's go back to the others."

Tai started marching forward, confident in his path.

"Uh, Tai..." Said Matt. Tai wasn't paying attention and continued marching. Humming a little tune.

"HEY JERK!"

"Hmm?" Tai peered over his shoulder and looked at the others who haven't moved an inch. "Do you have any idea which way is back, Tai?"

Tai stopped and checked his surroundings. "Of course! It's this way." The boys weren't convinced.

"Trust me. I'm a natural born leader. We have an innate sense of direction." Tai kept marching forward.

Gabumon put his nose up and sniffed the air. "This way. I can smell the others." Gabumon pointed in the opposite direction that Tai was marching towards. "Follow me," Gabumon beckoned.

Thankfully it was too dark to see, but Tai was blushing so much that the others would have mistaken him as sunburnt. Matt and TK giggled and started to follow Gabumon as Tai embarrassingly made his way towards the rest.

* * *

A few minutes of silence passed. "You know, this reminds me a lot of when Tai got lost in the real world and I was all alone. I did really good on my own, right?" Asked TK.

"Yes, you're really getting mature for your age, TK. I'm sure your parents would be proud," replied Gabumon.

TK smiled. "Aw, you really mean it Gabumon? Hey what was it like before you met me and Matt and the rest?"

"Oh it was a long wait and some interesting things happened along the way."

Gabumon proceeded to tell TK a story of when he just came out of his digi-egg. TK walked closer to Gabumon and listened to the story as they navigated back to the digi-crew.

* * *

Tai and Matt were slugging a bit behind. Tai mostly because his energy was still relatively low. Matt mostly because he was still trying to digest what had just happened before Gabumon and TK had found them.

_I mean, I think he's a cool guy. But I don't like him. I can't like him. He's a guy. _

Something brushed against Matt's hand. He looked down. It was Tai's hand.

Tai's hand repeatedly touched Matt's several times. Matt counted 4 times in his head.

Matt was feeling like a light switch. Blood starting flowing to the same area as earlier.

Tai pulled his hand away. "Sorry Matt," said Tai casually. He put some distance between himself and the blonde haired boy.

Matt felt somewhat relieved, but also a bit saddened. He liked feeling touched. Feeling comforted. Feeling closer to someone. Feeling closer to Tai...

Matt froze in his steps. He stared blankly forward.

_Oh my god. I think I like Tai._

"Helloooo, Earth to Matt," poked Tai.

Matt snapped back. He just realized he stopped walking. The others were ahead of him, looking back, concerned. "My bad, guys," said Matt apologetically. He dashed forward to the others, blood returning to normal.

* * *

"And we're here, " announced Gabumon. The rest of the friends were still asleep, but the sun was slowly beginning to emerge out of hiding now.

TK went back to snuggle next to Patamon, and Gabumon rested upon the side of a tree.

Tai walked clumsily past Matt, their hands brushing once more.

_Why do I even have these stupid hands?_ Thought Matt, stuffing them into his pockets.

Tai lied down in between Agumon and Sora and closed his eyes.

Matt noticed this and heat rushed to his face.

_Am I... Jealous? _Matt blinked. _This is crazy. I'm not jealous. I don't like Tai. I'm not gay._

Matt made his way to a boulder and closed his eyes. This was enough for one night.

* * *

End of Chapter Two

* * *

Monzaemon: *sigh* No one likes us bears. It's all about the twinks.

Centarumon: There, there, friend. It's not so bad to be something other than a twink.

Monzaemon: Easy for you to say! You're a horse!

Centarumon: *smirk* So I hear.


	3. A Dream is a Wish

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter Three: A Dream is a Wish

* * *

"Rise and shine, digi- friends!" Shouted Gomamon, cheerfully.

The group groaned in unison, and begrudgingly awoke to Gomamon's voice.

"Gomamon, don't you know it's rude to shout people awake!?" Demanded Mimi. "I need exactly eight and a half hours of sleep each night for my beauty rest!"

Gomamon put his head down in sadness. "Sorry, Mimi..."

Joe pulled Gomamon aside and hissed quietly, "For the rest of the day, only talk when someone asks you a question. Got it?"

"O-kay..." Said Gomamon, depressingly.

The only one still asleep was Matt.

* * *

_'Hello?' Questioned Matt from his bed._

_'Shh,' replied a gentle voice that was coming seemingly from nowhere. _

_Matt now sat straight in his bed at home. His walls were shifting colors, blue to orange and back to blue. His bed appeared to be shrinking, and it was feeling very tight and uncomfortable. He lied back down to his side and held on to his pillow, whimpering in fear. _

_The bed was getting smaller, pushing Matt closer to the edge with each second. He looked down at his bedroom floor, which was now replaced by lava, bubbling violently and producing intense, pungent heat. He hung tight to his pillow, expecting to fall any second now from the ever-shrinking bed. _

_An arm wrapped around Matt's bare stomach. It caressed him softly, almost unintentionally. _

_'Matt,' whispered the voice. 'It's alright. I've got you.' _

_Matt stopped crying. His heart beat relaxed, and he lessened his grip on the pillow. They lied there, together. Matt peered over the bed. The lava was transforming. Fading to blue and feeling cool. The bed rocked on top of it peacefully. There was nothing to hear but the sound of waves soothingly blending into each other . _

_Matt held onto the hand that was wrapped around his waist. The goggle-haired boy inched closer. Matt felt a poke near his rear. He was confused by this, but he didn't question it. He waited in anticipation to see what the other was going to do._

_Another poke, more aggressively, was felt on his lower back. It didn't feel good. But Matt stayed in place._

_'Matt,' said the voice sternly. _

_Matt didn't say a word. He didn't know how to react. He stayed quiet and still as a statue._

_'MATT!' Shouted the voice. Matt instantly felt a thrust behind him and a sharp jab straight in his back._

Matt's eyes shot open from the pain and shout.

"OWW!" was all Matt could muster, transitioning out of his unconsciousness.

He turned to find Tai poking at him with a long, pointy stick.

"It's about time, Matt! We gotta get moving before it gets too hot!" Explained the messy-haired brunette.

* * *

The digi destined and fellow digimon packed up to get ready for the day's journey.

"We need to find water soon," said Joe. "If we don't, we'll dehydrate and die..."

"You're so reassuring, Joe," responded Izzy, unimpressed. "Look at the leaves on these shrubs. They're wet. There's dew on them. That might mean we're closer to a mass of water than we think."

The crowd cheered and ventured forth, searching for a water source.

After only half an hour, Mimi started.

"Can we take a break? My feet are starting to hurt."

"Well it will be a better choice to find water first, and then rest," said Izzy logically.

The group stopped to re-evaluate their path.

"Does anyone think they know which way some water might be?" Asked Joe.

"Well yeah, I smelled a lake a couple of miles from where we were sleeping last night," said Gomamon casually.

Everyone turned and looked shockingly at Gomamon.

"GOMAMON!" Shouted Joe. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT EARLIER?"

"Well it's simple, Joe," said Gomamon elegantly. "I was told not to talk unless someone asked me a question."

The group groaned at Gomamon's wit. And off they went in the direction they just came from, hoping to find water in the area Gomamon claimed.

* * *

Matt stuck to the back of the group, Tai in front of him. He was still feeling weak and groggy. He wasn't sure if Tai's shorts were tighter than usual, or if this was the first time he was really paying attention. But Matt's eyes couldn't look away. They were locked onto that perfectly round booty.

The group still had some time before they got to where Gomamon was leading them. Matt was tired. But he was not complaining one bit.

* * *

End of Chapter Three

* * *

Angewomon: pfft. He may have ass, but does he know how to use it?

Ladydevimon: I want to see him twerk.

Angewomon: *grin* Maybe you can teach him.

Ladydevimon: If I ever make it into this story! :(

Angewomon: :(


	4. A Late Night Swim

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter Four: A Late Night Swim

* * *

The sun was moving across the sky. The surroundings were becoming much more lush.

"And we're here," said Gomamon, feeling accomplished.

The group cheered at the sight of crisp, pristine water. The lake was larger than they thought. There were sounds that resembled seagull calls. The waves were splashing against each other near the shore. Palm trees were scattered around the area. The dirt under the digidestineds' feet transitioned into sand.

"Ahh…" sighed Mimi, taking off her boots. "The sand feels so good between my toes!"

"I love the beach!" exclaimed Palmon.

The two ran off to a nearby tree to sit down and relax.

"Come on, guys! Last one in's a rotten digi-egg!" shouted T.K.

Almost everyone started racing toward the water, stumbling over each other and jumping in. The only ones left were Sora, Matt, and Tai.

* * *

"You boys going to go in?" asked Sora casually.

Matt felt blood rushing to his face. Jealousy was creeping over him.

"Maybe later," said Tai. "I have to figure out what we do from here."

"That's a good idea," replied Sora. "I'll be with Mimi under the palm tree if you need me."

The farther Sora walked away, the more at ease Matt felt. It was like Sora was dragging his anxiety away.

"So Matt, you're not going in either?" asked Tai, taking off his shoes and lying down in the sand.

The blonde felt much more relaxed now that it was just the two of them.

"Nah, I'm not in the mood to be social," said Matt, following suit and lying next to the brunette.

Tai chuckled. "But you're never in the mood to be social."

"Very funny, Tai," said Matt, rolling his eyes. Unimpressed with the joke.

* * *

The boys sat there in silence, enjoying the moment. They were looking at the boys and digimon splashing and playing around in the water. The sun was feeling warm on their backs. And the warm sand added to the heat. Tai's back was starting to sweat.

"It's hotter than I thought it would get," said Tai, clear beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

He lifted up his shirt, revealing a sweaty, toned body.

Matt's eyes took advantage of this moment. The sweat on Tai seemed to glisten. It made him look even more attractive to Matt.

"So what do you think we should do now?" pondered Tai.

Matt snapped out of the mesmerizing spell. "Uh, we can stay here a while and regain our stamina."

"For how long you think?" asked Tai.

"Maybe a couple days. We can fish for food and rest on the soft sand at night," suggested Matt.

"Alright I like that idea," replied Tai. "And then we'll find our way to Gennai. I'm surprised he hasn't made contact with us."

"Yeah. That was, what, 5 years ago?" questioned Matt.

"Well let's see." Tai started counting on his fingers. "If we're 18 now, and we were 11 back then…"

Tai tried figuring out the math. He raised his fingers one by one and counted under his breath. He got frustrated and had to start over. Matt was noticing this. He knew the answer, but the struggle was too adorable to interrupt.

After a minute later, Matt shifted his focus to Tai's soft lips. He enjoyed the way they moved when Tai was counting. The motions were so slow and smooth.

"Seven," announced Tai.

Matt came back to reality again. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Seven," repeated Tai. "That was seven years ago."

"Oh right. Wow. Crazy how fast time goes," said Matt.

They sat there thinking over the time they spent in the digi-world.

"Yeah..." the boys sighed in unison.

* * *

Dinner time came, and the sun was beginning to set. Izzy and Sora had went to the neighboring forest and found some wood to make a fire. Joe and Tai were able to catch some fish. Matt was playing his harmonica near the water, looking into the sunset. Deep in his thoughts.

"Hey Matt," said a sweet voice, a body sitting down next to Matt.

Matt maintained his song, not paying attention to the interaction.

"It sounds like a different song than you normally play," continued the voice. What's it called?"

Matt stopped playing. This was a different song. It wasn't Matt's song.

_This is Tai's song. It's not mine. It's his._

"Hello...Earth to Matt," said the bubbly voice.

Matt turned to see Mimi. "His Song."

Matt stood up and began walking back to the others, where a fire was being started.

In the distance, Matt could hear Mimi's confusion.

"His Song? Who's he?"

_Someone I love, _replied Matt in his head.

As the sky grew darker, the fire lit brighter. Orangish-yellow sparks popped sporadically and there was the smell of fresh, cooked fish in the air. The team was finishing dinner and getting full.

The fire began to fade, and along with it the digidestineds' energy. One by one, breaths were slowing, mouths were yawning, and eyes were closing. Matt was the only one still awake, staring at the fire as it approached its end.

* * *

The fire went out, but the moon provided enough light to see the surrounding beach. Matt stood up and walked down the shoreline to the water. He took off his clothes, exposing his defined body. He casually walked into the water. It still felt warm from the day's sun.

The blonde-haired boy took a deep breath and lifted his body, allowing himself to float above the water. He looked deeply into the moon, searching intensely for something, but not sure what.

In the corner of his eye, Matt saw a glimmer of orange. He turned his head but saw nothing.

_Okay maybe I should be getting some sleep._

Matt resumed his floating form when he noticed the orange glimmer appear again. This time, he knew he saw it.

Matt submerged his body into the water, and only brought his eyes and nose up to peek around the lake.

In the distance, Matt saw glowing waves of orange blending with the waves of blue. He felt a shiver. This all seemed so familiar to him.

* * *

The orange waves intensified. They were getting brighter and bigger. Matt stared at them, not sure how to react. Suddenly, the orange glow vanished. It was as if someone turned off a light switch. Matt focused on the waves, waiting for the orange glow to return.

"Gotcha!" bursted a voice. Two strong hands grabbed Matt's shoulders.

Matt spun around and saw Tai.

Emotions immediately surged through Matt. Happy to see Tai. Comforted by his touch. Upset that he couldn't have him. Confused as to why he was feeling this way.

"Tai, what are you doing?" interrogated Matt, frustrated by his own emotions.

"Swimming. What about you?" asked Tai, playfully.

"Nevermind," mumbled Matt, beginning to swim away.

Tai moved in front of Matt to stop his path. "Aw come on Matt, lighten up."

The boys stayed there, treading in the lake.

"Wow this is a good workout," said Tai.

Matt could tell Tai was struggling to stay above water.

"Why don't you try floating?" suggested Matt.

"I don't know how," replied Tai.

"Wanna learn?" inquired Matt.

"Sure," said Tai.

"Okay, take a deep breath," instructed Matt.

Tai took a long inhale.

"Okay now bring your chest and legs up," continued Matt.

Tai struggled to bring his body up. After only a few seconds, his body reverted to the original position.

"Okay let's try again," said Matt patiently.

Tai raised his legs and chest back up, but he began to struggle again. His body was starting to fail on him when two hands came under to support him.

Matt had gently placed one hand under Tai's bottom and one under his back.

"Take a deep breath, Tai," said Matt soothingly.

Tai took another long inhale. His body was beginning to rise again.

"Good. Keep breathing," whispered Matt.

Tai's breathing was beginning to slow, and his body was becoming more stable. Matt's hands felt the warmth of Tai and it felt so good. So close. So intimate.

Matt slowly slid his hands away from Tai. The brunette was still floating.

Matt couldn't help but wander his eyes from Tai's head down to below his waist. It was too dark to see much, but a small bush of brown hair was clearly visible.

"You're doing it, Tai. You're floating," said Matt.

The break of silence startled Tai, and he lost his breathing. The spiky haired boy began sinking again.

"I think I'm good for tonight, Matt. Thanks," said Tai.

"Sure thing," replied Matt.

* * *

The two boys began swimming back to shore. Matt could see Tai was not a strong enough swimmer to keep up.

Matt turned around. "Do you need some help, Tai?" offered Matt.

Tai nodded.

Matt put an arm around Tai's waist and took long strokes through the water with his other arm.

Nearing the shore, Matt let go of Tai's waist. The blonde felt something as he let go. It wasn't part of the waist. He knew exactly what it was. And it wasn't soft. Brushing against it made Matt excited.

Both boys were now waist deep in the water. Neither wanted to get out. Hesitation loomed over the blonde and brunette. They locked eyes, trying to read each other. Not sure of what to do next.

Tai inched closer to Matt. There was still space between them above water. However, below water their tips were touching. Matt gazed in Tai's eyes.

_I should say something. I should tell him how I've been feeling. Tell him I love him._

Matt was about to start when Tai blurted, "Well thanks for showing me how to float Matt. I owe you one!"

Tai walked out of the lake, put on his clothes, and made his way back to the others. Matt stood in the water, puzzled.

* * *

He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

_Did that just happen?_

_Better question is WHAT just happened?_

Emotions overcame Matt again. He didn't know how to take in the situation. He felt abandoned because Tai left without him. He felt anxious that Tai said nothing when being touched. He felt nervous for not knowing how Tai will act in the morning.

_Tai... Tai... Tai…_

All Matt could think about was Tai. He needed to tell Tai. And now he needed answers. The blonde's brain was spinning rapidly. His heart was beating strongly. All of these thoughts and emotions were wearing Matt down. The defined, young man walked out of the water and dragged his feet to higher ground. He laid down on the soft sand, closed his eyes, and escaped into his dreams.

* * *

End of Chapter Four

* * *

Devimon: Can they just fuck already? I NEED to see them fucking.

Myotismon: I prefer sucking.

Devimon: lol

Myotismon: lol


	5. Shaking My World

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter Five: Shake My World

* * *

The beach was hosting hundreds of pelican-like digimon. Morning scavengers. They were searching for anything and everything they could eat. The squeaks and squawks were deafening, but Matt's unconscious body didn't seem affected. One digi-bird found its way to the blonde's ear and started to nibble. The sharp pain exploded through Matt's body.

"AAGH!" Yelled Matt, eyes shooting open.

"Go! Shoo!" Screamed Matt to the scavengers, arms flailing to scare them off.

The flock got startled and flapped over to a nearby site to continue the morning feed.

Matt scratched his head and looked out into the ocean. He tried recollecting his unconscious thoughts, but for some reason couldn't.

_Why can't I remember my dream?_

The teen looked down to a very evident hard on.

_Damn, and it was a good one too._

The sharp pain from his ear reminded him why he woke up.

"Ack," said Matt.

He touched his left ear and it felt a bit wet. He looked at his fingers. Blood.

_Well, hopefully Joe learned a little bit more about first aid in his medical school classes._

Matt put on his clothes and made his way back to camp. The smoke from last night's dying fire was still streaming into the air. A nice guide to follow back. The young man began his journey back. Toned, smooth legs leading the way.

* * *

Back at camp, everyone was either playing in the sand or laying by the embers. Izzy and Joe were sitting by the fire, discussing the complications of fire burns. T.K. and the digi-friends were competing to see who could make the best sand castle. The ladies were working hard to make Tai into a mermaid.

"Should we give him boobs?" Pondered Sora.

"Uhhh," began Tai.

"Of course!" Interrupted Mimi. "The bigger the better!"

The girls went back to constructing the perfect mermaid, giggling as they did so.

The blonde was finally coming into sight, shirt taken off as the sun was getting too warm. Everyone was too busy to notice except Tai, who was patiently waiting for the girls to finish their masterpiece.

_Oh look, Matt made it back._

The sweat made him shimmer in the distance, revealing the tone in his muscles.

_Oh wow, I never realized how athletic Matt became over these few years._

Something was waking up below the sand.

_Thank God I'm covered from the neck down…_

Matt approached the mermaid creation.

"Hey everyone," said the blonde.

"Hi Matt," replied Sora. Focused on the details of the mermaid.

"Matt, tell Tai how beautiful you think he looks." Demanded Mimi.

Matt scanned the mermaid. His eyes moved from the long, scaly tail, to the enormous breasts, and finally rested on those brown eyes. They stayed in silence for a few seconds, eyes locked on each other, softly peering into each other.

"Tai," started Matt gently. "I think you look beautiful."

The eyes never broke from each other once. They were simply enjoying the moment.

"See, Tai? We told you we would make you the most beautiful mermaid," said Mimi.

Mimi and Sora burst into laughter. The sudden sound broke the peace between the boys. Matt looked over to the sand castle competition and made his way over. The brunette felt emptier and emptier with each step away the blonde took.

* * *

"OH COME ON!" Complained Gomamon.

His intricate sand castle collapsed to a pile of mush.

"Sand castles are stupid anyway. I'm gonna go on a walk."

Gomamon started marching into the forest, with no specific plan in mind.

In the forest, the aquatic digimon saw different kinds of trees. On the floor, there was a bark similar to bamboo. Gomamon took one piece into his paw and examined it for durability.

"Humph! Who needs sand castles when you can have wooden castles!"

Gomamon eagerly grabbed pieces of this bamboo and brought it back to the camp. He went back in and grabbed some more. The pile grew as the sun leaped across the sky. He got to work.

* * *

Everyone was done with their beach activities and eating dinner. The smell of fresh fish and wild mushrooms filled the air.

"Come on, buddy! The food is getting cold!" Shouted Joe.

"I'm busy! Besides, I don't eat fish!" Replied Gomamon.

"We have mushrooms too!" The voice beckoned.

Gomamon didn't care. He wanted to finish what he had started.

The sun set was imminent. But the aquatic digimon was determined. His wooden castle turned out to be a rather impressive hut. Not a castle, but he accepted it.

"Wow!" Exclaimed Izzy as he approached the hut. "This looks great!"

"Thanks," panted Gomamon. Still exhausted from the effort he put into his construction.

"There's plenty of bamboo left over if you want to make your own!"

Izzy zealously accepted the challenge. Others took note and did the same.

The stars began poking out of the sky, into view.

"We better be quick if we want a place to sleep tonight," commented Joe.

Everyone went to work, except Tai and Matt. They were still enjoying the heat of the bonfire.

"You're not going to make a hut?" Asked Tai.

"Nah," Replied Matt. "I actually like sleeping outside. I get to appreciate the nature and stare at the stars."

The boys looked up to the sky simultaneously.

"Funny," started Matt. "Sometimes I wonder if one of those is actually Earth."

"Yeah. I've thought about how that works too. This all seems too real to be digital."

The brunette's hand reached to the blonde and squeezed his thigh for proof.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," responded Matt.

"So where are you going to sleep then?" Implored Tai.

"On my way over here, I noticed a cliff I think I'll climb tonight. It'll let me escape the world." Said Matt.

"Mind if I join you?" Asked Tai.

Matt turned and looked at Tai with a confused, yet excited look.

"...Uh to watch over the camp. Make sure everyone's okay. It'll be a good view to see if anyone is approaching them."

_Nice save_, thought Tai.

Matt's expression became slightly disappointed.

"Makes sense. Let's go before it gets too dark."

"Heading out. Be back in the morning!" Shouted Tai to the digi-crew.

Nobody was paying attention. They all wanted to finish their huts while they could still see.

The boys shrugged and started walking over to the cliff.

* * *

About half way there, the blonde spoke, breaking the silence.

"Race ya there."

Before the other teen could react, Matt was jolting forward to the destination. Without another moment to waste, the brunette sprinted close behind. Within seconds he had already caught up and tackled the blonde to the ground. The shorter-haired boy scrambled back to his feet and advanced toward the cliff. The goggle-haired boy was right behind him. Both climbed desperately to reach the top. Grab after step, they rock climbed all the way up. The two young men made it at the same time, and subsided once at the top. Both panting heavily.

"I won," declared Matt.

"In your dreams," replied Tai. "I beat you and you know it."

Matt thought about this for a few seconds.

_If only he knew what was in my dreams..._

"Fine. We tied."

As their breaths slowed, the boys realized just how cold and dark it became. It was hard to see much. Tai could just barely make out the diminishing flames from the camp. Matt was lying down on the short cliff. It was only a few feet longer than his body length. He was looking up at the stars again, appreciating the sight. Tai rested his body as well, lying down within just several inches away from Matt. Suddenly, a deep rumbling shook the Earth. The blonde jumped and instinctively held onto the brunette in fear.

"What was that?" Whispered Matt.

Tai chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that was an earthquake."

Tai could feel that Matt was trembling against him. He assumed it was because of the quake, but after a few minutes the trembling persisted.

"Are you cold?" Asked Tai.

"N-no," said Matt, shivering.

"I can give you my shirt if you want," suggested the longer-haired boy.

"N-no I can't take it from you," refused Matt.

"Fine. Then I'll just be cold with you," insisted Tai.

The teen took off his shirt, shoes, and shorts and went back in his original position, with Matt holding him. In no time, Tai started shivering as well.

"A-Any more bright ideas?" Inquired Matt sarcastically.

"Th-this was y-your own fault," defended Tai.

"W-well I heard somewhere that i-if two people are cold, then cuddling without clothes c-can really help," proposed the slightly taller boy.

Tai stopped shivering for a moment.

"Wait seriously?" He asked.

"Y-yeah," said Matt.

"Okay," Uttered Tai. "Let's try it."

Tai was already in his boxers, so the task was quick. Matt rapidly took off his own clothes and went back to spooning the brunette.

"Better?" Asked Tai.

"So much better," sighed Matt, no longer trembling.

The two stayed there, breathing in sync. After some time, the taller boy could feel the cold cheeks of the shorter.

"You know, I also heard of something else to warm up other parts of your body," whispered Matt.

"Like what?" Invited Tai.

"Here, lie down on your back," instructed the blonde.

The brunette did as he was told.

"Okay, do you trust me?" Asked the shorter-haired boy.

"Yes," replied the other.

Matt positioned himself in front of Tai's legs. It was far too dark to see anything, but that didn't stop him. He slowly began caressing them, feeling the light hair weave through his fingers all the way up to the thighs, and then sliding back down. He continued this motion several times. He could hear Tai's breath deepening and relaxing. Matt quietly lifted Tai's legs and rested them on his shoulders.

He proceeded to caress the underside of the legs, going this time to the brunette's cheeks. Each time he reached that sensitive area, he could feel Tai tense up.

"Relax your body," whispered Matt.

Matt's fingers found their way between Tai's cheeks. He could hear a gasp escape the spiky-haired boy's mouth. This made the blonde smirk.

Matt withdrew his fingers and put them in his warm mouth for a moment. Once warm and wet, he softly placed the fingers back at Tai's entrance. With a gentle push, one finger was able to penetrate the brunette's hole.

"Uhhhn," whimpered Tai.

This encouraged the slightly taller boy. He withdrew his finger and pushed two in this time.

"UHHHHN," moaned the shorter boy.

Matt's fingers slowly thrusted, each time going deeper into Tai. The brunette could feel the fingers escape him, and momentarily were replaced by something significantly larger. Matt's member touched Tai's entrance, and Matt leaned forward to find Tai's lips.

They touched. The lips were soft, smooth, and full.

After breaking the connection, Tai whispered, "I don't think this is a good idea."

Matt immediately snapped out of his spell and sat straight up.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I don't know what came over me…"

Matt sensed Tai smiling.

"It's okay," said the longer-haired teen.

Tai went back to lying on his side, and Matt joined right behind him. They lay like that for several minutes, and then peacefully drifted into sleep.

* * *

End of Chapter Five

* * *

Gotsumon: Holy shit, that was hot. I'm still rock hard.

Pumpkinmon: You ARE a rock.

Gotsumon: You mean, like how I like to rock out to good music?

Pumpkinmon: No, like you are literally made of rocks.

Gotsumon: Ooh, you mean like how I rocked that outfit last week?

Pumpkinmon: …

Gotsumon: ROCK THE BOAT, DON'T ROCK THE BOAT BABYYY..


	6. A Broken Heart

Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter Six: A Broken Heart

* * *

Waves were crashing loudly nearby. Tai's ears heard third and alerted him. The boy woke from his unconsciousness and looked around. It was still dark, but some light was beginning to fuse into the air. The sun was rising soon.

Matt was gone. Tai's clothes were folded nicely next to him. The brunette's brain started to process. He wasn't sure if he should feel grateful for the friendly gesture or saddened by the abandonment. But the conflict diminished as Tai's attention turned toward the crashing waves. They were not the same blue as the day before. These waves were a brilliant sort of blue. They glimmered, looking as if they were creating their own blue glow. Tai could feel the power of the majestic waves with each crash into the land below.

Memorized by the beauty, Tai kept a blank stare. No blinking. Steady breathing. He didn't notice the flapping that was creeping nearer and nearer to the cliff.

"Tai, you need to stop," said a voice from behind.

The spell broke and the boy quickly swerved around to discover a pink bird with blue stripes.

"Biyomon!" Shrieked Tai.

He scrambled to grab his clothes, but they turned to ash and danced into the wind.

"What's going on?" Asked Tai.

"Come," said Biyomon. "There's a lot you need to learn about love."

Tai hesitated, but he nodded for Biyomon to proceed.

* * *

The bird digimon flapped her wings. Harder and harder, producing a whirlwind of dust, sweeping away their surroundings. The cliff, the waves, the sun. All have vanished. Until … Nothing. What remained was a tv. Shortly, a couch gradually appeared. And then a lamp. And a coffee table.

_Where are we?_ Thought Tai.

But he already knew the answer. He was home. He looked around the living room. Everything was exactly right. His favorite show was on. Mom's food experiment half eaten on the table. Except there was already someone there. A small boy.

"Biyomon, who's that?" Asked Tai.

"Have a look for yourself," suggested the pink bird.

The brunette walked toward the couch to get a better view. And then he realized that it was him.

"Biyomon, how is this possible? Did we travel to the past?"

There was no response from the digimon.

"Why did we come here? What am I supposed to do?"

Again, no response. Tai turned around, upset for being ignored. But the pink bird with blue stripes was no longer there. All that was there was the boy, himself, and the house.

* * *

"Hi, who are you?" Asked the curious young boy.

Astonished that the boy could see him, Tai stuttered. "I'm T-t-tai."

"Wow! That's so close to my name! My name is Tai."

The older boy gave out a short, exhausted laugh.

"Heh."

"Wanna watch RoboDinos with me? It's the episode where RaptorBoy goes to the volcano…"

"And clogs the top with rocks to save his friends," finished Tai.

"Hey that's right!" Said the younger boy.

Tai chuckled. "Yeah I remember watching this when I was about your age."

The little boy became intrigued.

"But this just came out in the summer! How could you have watched it already?"

Blood rushed to Tai's face.

"Uhh.. There was a leaked version," explained Tai, keeping it cool.

"Oh, okay," said the little one casually. His attention went back to the tv.

The two sat and watched the rest of the show, laughing simultaneously at the times the funny parts. Tai was becoming more convinced that this little guy really was him.

* * *

The show ended, and little Tai turned off the tv, heading to his bedroom. Forgetting that big Tai was there. As little Tai made his way closer to the bedroom, the rest of the house began to fade to nothing.

_I guess I'm following before I fade too_, thought Tai.

Inside the bedroom, little Tai was lying down on his stomach, doodling in a notebook. He was kicking his feet playfully in the air and humming a simple tune.

"Whatcha doin', Tai?" asked big Tai.

"Coloring. It's one of my favorite things to do," replied little Tai.

Little Tai continued to color.

_I can't believe I forgot I liked coloring,_ thought big Tai.

As big Tai observed his younger self, he noticed the boy was drawing people.

"Wow, you're a natural artist, buddy. What are all those people going to do?"

"Oh, they're helping that guy over there in the corner."

"Ooh, I see...wait, what guy in the corner?"

Little Tai quickly drew a boy in the corner of his paper.

"Oh neat, and who's that?" asked big Tai, pointing to the freshly drawn boy.

"That's you," replied little Tai.

A chill went down big Tai's spine as he continued to watch the little one draw, and hum as he did so. He was now adding more detail. All of the people in the picture had spiky brown hair, like the boy in the corner of the paper. All of the people helping looked just like the boy in the corner. All of the people looked just like… him.

_All these people are helping me, but all these people are me? How does that make sense? _Pondered Tai.

"Do you think this one's head is too big?" asked little Tai, pointing to one of the people in his drawing. Without waiting for a response, he erased the head and drew a new one.

"Yeah, that's better," he said, answering his own question.

The doodling began to slow down. It was evident that the little one was getting pulled into a lull. A few moments later, he was asleep. Big Tai was still considering the questions he asked earlier. The sound of little Tai snoring brought him back to reality.

_Yep, this little guy is definitely me,_ he thought.

* * *

Tai slowly took the picture from the floor and looked at it closely. Little Tai didn't erase much. The boy in the corner was still there. The people were all there too. But little Tai added something else. Each of the people helping the boy in the corner had something in their hands… part of a heart. None of the hearts were complete, and the boy in the corner had no heart in his hands at all.

Immediately, Tai felt both exhausted and enraged.

_Of course I have a heart! _

Tai lifted up his shirt to reveal his bare chest. He put his hand where his heart should be and focused. Trying to feel for his heart. After a few moments….nothing.

_Okay, maybe it's just weak right now, _thought Tai.

The brunette did some jumping jacks to warm up, and he started to sweat a bit. He tried feeling for his heart again. Still nothing. He tried his wrist. Nothing. He tried his neck. Nothing.

_That's impossible,_ thought Tai.

Tai looked at the picture one more time. The longer he looked at it, the more stressed he became. He didn't want to be there anymore.

_I want to be back in the DigiWorld. I want to fight bad guys. I want to fuck Matt already, damnit. _

And then, Tai's expression turned to a blank stare.

_Wait...Maybe that's the point. I've been having all these things on my mind, but that's all I had room for. Maybe I'm supposed to learn to care less about these things. Maybe I need to care a bit more about myself. _

Tai felt a thump. It was coming from inside his chest.

_Maybe I need to stop obsessing over what will happen with the DigiCrew… and with Matt. _

Another thump.

_Maybe I need to just think about what is right for me. Doing things for me. Doing things to help myself out._

THUMP. THUMP.

I think that's it. I need to accept that it's okay to help myself for a change. Love myself. And shine that love on others.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP...

"I did it! I got my heart back!" exclaimed Tai.

Little Tai rubbed his eyes with his hands and gave out a long yawn.

"Aaahhhh….. What are you talking about, dude?"

Big Tai smiled.

"Ah nothing. You'll learn when you're older. Hey, do you mind if I keep this picture?"

"Yeah, go for it," responded the little brunette. "I drew it for you."

"Thanks little man!" said the bigger one, excitedly.

Suddenly, wind started to form in the room. Dust was rising from the ground, and everything was hard to see. Tai could hear flapping, and Biyomon reappeared in the corner of his eye. Soon, everything faded to darkness. But the cliff didn't reappear. Nothing reappeared.

Tai was getting fatigued. A lot happened inside him his mind and in his heart. The young man decided to lay down on the emptiness, and fall asleep.

* * *

SQUAW! SQUAW!

Tai shot his eyes open and took in his surroundings. He was back on the cliff. There were birds below - on the shoreline. His clothes were still folded next to him. The sun was up now. Matt still wasn't there. Biyomon wasn't there either. And for the first time ever, that was okay. Right now, the young man didn't need Matt there to comfort him. He didn't need Biyomon there to answer his questions. All he needed, and all he wanted, was himself.

Tai stood up, and put on his clothes. He breathed in deeply, and he closed his eyes. He listened to the crashing of the waves and smelled the sweet, salty air. He felt the warm sun massaging his face. He kept his posture straight and gently placed his hands in his pockets. The brunette felt the tip of a paper and smiled. Today was going to be a good day. And everything was going to be okay.

* * *

End of Chapter Six

* * *

Garudamon: *Smile* Seems the boy has learned a piece of what love is.

Hawkmon: Or perhaps a "peace" of what love is.

Patamon: *Sniff*

Garudamon: I know. it's beautiful, isn't it?

Patamon: No, I'm sad because I really wanted to see them fuck already!

Hawkmon: All in good time, Patamon.

Patamon: Promise me next chapter! My body is ready!

Hawkmon: I promise you that when it happens, it will be good.

Patamon: SO NEXT CHAPTER?! I BEG YOU!1!

Garudamon: Soon.

Patamon: NUUUGHHHHHH! :'(


End file.
